OWN CORRESPONDENT, Cardiff | Thursday 9.30am.
GARY Teichmann returns to captain world champions South Africa against Wales in Saturday’s first game at the new Millennium Stadium, the venue of the World Cup final later this year.
The number eight missed the Springboks’ 101-0 record defeat of Italy because of a knee injury last Saturday but will lead South African for a record 35th time against Wales.
Coach Nick Mallett has made several changes from the side that started against Italy in Durban.
Fly half Braam van Straaten gets the vote over Gaffie Du Toit to secure his his first start in a Springbok jersey.
”I am honoured to have been chosen in a Springbok jersey to start for the first time,” said Van Straaten.
Among the other changes are Pieter Muller at centre and Werner Swanepoel at scrumhalf, while second row Krynauw Otto comes in to the pack.
The Welsh are at the end of a long season but Mallett is taking nothing for granted against a Welsh team who have improved dramatically in the last year under Kiwi coach Graham Henry.
”I felt in Pretoria last year that Welsh rugby was at a very low ebb,” he said. ”Since that 96-13 victory (by the Springboks) they have come back in formidable style.
”We played very well on that occasion. But since then the turnaround for Wales has been remarkable. When we played them at Wembley last season it was a really difficult game with Graham Henry in charge.”
We were very lucky to win that game and under Graham, Wales have had a successful season with some great victories over France and England.”
Team: Percy Montgomery; Stefan Terblanche, Pieter Muller, Japie Mulder, Pieter Rossouw; Braam van Straaten, Werner Swanepoel; Gary Teichmann (captain), Rassie Erasmus, Corne Krige, Krynauw Otto, Selborne Boom, Cobus Visagie, Naka Drotske, Robbie Kempson. — Reuters